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(KMOV.com) -- A traffic change may cause confusion for St. Louis area drivers, as MoDOT is phasing in "red left arrows" at some busy intersections.

"It gives more presence for the left-turn lane," said Jeanne Olubogun, an engineer for MoDOT. "So people know better that's the left-turn lane. It makes it more intuitive for people."

Left-hand lanes have already bene given more presence with the flashing yellow arrows, which signal "yield to oncoming traffic, then proceed with caution."

The traditional red light "ball," however, is being replaced with a red left-hand arrow.

"Red arrow means 'stop,' just like the red ball did," Olubogun said.

News 4 asked MoDOT whether some people might not understand the new signals at first, and may interpret the red arrow as a stop sign.

"It definitely takes an adjustment period," Olubogun said. "When I came upon it, when I was out driving in my own car, I had to stop and look and say, 'Oh, this is new to me. I need to make sure I'm doing the right thing.' Because looking at them on paper when we're installing them in our shop is one thing, but coming across them when I'm in the field, driving, is another thing."

MoDOT plans to install the red arrow at a few hundred area intersections in the coming months.